On a bright and breezy Thursday, in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 22, 1928, a baby boy, the

second child was born to the parents of James and Lessie Ross. So happy and excited to continue

the Ross legacy, his father proudly named him his namesake, James Harrison Ross Jr., who was

quickly nicknamed "Tunior.'

On January 18, 2022, God quietly called James home while he was

staying at his son's home in Baltimore, Maryland. He would have celebrated his 94th birthday in

approximately two months.

When he was at the tender age of one and a half years old, James's mother passed. His father

moved he and his sister, Norma, to his family home in Bena, Virginia. James Jr. spent his early

school years in Virginia until the family relocated back to Baltimore, where he continued his

education in Baltimore City Public Schools.

As a teenager living in the Gilmore Projects, James met the "Apple of his Eye," Charlotte Elaine

Young. On August 20, 1948, James married Charlotte and from that union, God blessed them

with five children, the late James Harrison Ill, the late Wayne Everett, Martha Roselyn, Vernon

Lesly and Stacee Latonya.

James worked various jobs as a young man and excelled in the catering business until being hired

with the Baltimore Transit Company. He was one of the first Black drivers for Baltimore City

streetcars and later drove the Baltimore City public buses. In 1977, he began a career with the

Housing Authority of Baltimore City as a housing inspector until he retired in 1990. During his time

at the HABC, he received several accolades and awards for outstanding service and performance.

In the late 1980s, he was inducted into the East Baltimore Lodge #1043 Brotherhood of the Elks,

where he enjoyed and welcomed the fellowship and met lifelong friends.

Ross, as everyone called him, was a charismatic and kind soul. His loyalty and willingness to be a

part of his children's lives was paramount. He was generous and would often go above and beyond

his means to help others. He was known for visiting the sick and shut-in and teased by those

close to him as a "Funeral Goer." Whether it was a relative, close friend, acquaintance or a friend

of a friend who passed, bet and be sure, he would attend their funeral services or at least pay his

respects to the decease's family. He was an extremely punctual person and would let you know it

in a heartbeat.



James enjoyed all genres of music, however, his two favorite songs were the hymn "I'm On the

Battlefield for My Lord," and the popular rhythm and blues tune "Route 66." The song was first

recorded by the Nat King Cole Trio in 1946. However, for years, Ross made the song his own and

sang it with gusto at every celebration or special event.

Growing up and throughout most of his adult life, James, and eventually his four oldest children,

spent most summers in Gloucester, Virginia. All the men in the family were excellent swimmers

and passed this skill on to his children. The daily routine would include early morning swims in

the ocean, boating, fishing, treading clams and or crabbing. The catch of the day was enjoyed later

that evening at dinner with family and close friends. One of James's favorite pastimes was fishing,

which he truly enjoyed doing with his father and his Uncle Vernon. So many of the hobbies and

skills that he acquired were honed while spending time with his family in Virginia. He learned to

play the card game Pinochle as a young adult, which was a staple family activity. Months before his

untimely passing, he continued playing Pinochle on a weekly basis with his Elks Lodge brothers.

Ross was a true family man and the love he had for his sister, Norma, was unmeasurable. There

wasn't a day that the two of them didn't speak to each other at least once of often twice a day. James

overcame many obstacles, the deaths of his wife of 48 years (they never divorced), and two sons,

and a great-grand son (Sean Paul Ross),

James was a devoted and longtime member of Douglas Memorial Community Church for more

than 50 years. He is now resting in the healing arms of our Lord Jesus Christ. As his spirit washes

over his family and friends, rest assured that his soul is resting peacefully with his other angels.

James leaves to rejoice in his memories, his beloved children, Martha Crawley, Vernon L. Ross,

and Stacee L. Ross; his grandchildren, Sean Eugene Ross, Damon Enyaw Ross, Demetria Ross,

and Brandon Todd Clark-Ross; his great-grandchildren, Amiya La Ché Ross, Breashia Ross,

Mekhi Anthony Hopkins, Brooke V. Ariel Ross, Jersey Lorai Ross, and Egypt Nala Ross; great-

great-grandchild, Harmony Nevaeh Bailey; a loving sister, Norma Irene Wood; two sisters-in-

law, Catherine Wainwright, and Bernice Clapp (Edward); two nieces, Marsha Hill and Dr. Joyce

Johnson; four nephews Cortez Booker, William Slater, Ashley Johnson, and Steven Clapp; a great-

niece, Dr. Lauren Johnson (Patrick); great cousins, Alverta Smith, and Darwin Alexander. He

shared a special bond with his friend and mate Mary Laws, and a host of loving family and friends.